A Second Chance
by Roro123
Summary: After the Glades earthquake, Starling City put out a plea to anyone with medical experience. Wendy, having served overseas as a medical officer in the military, is one of the few who answered. After falling into routine, she meets a man in a diner and everything changes.
1. Chapter 1

"Top up your coffee?" asked Sue.

"Please, thanks," replied Wendy glancing over her book.

Wendy had been in Starling City since day one after the Glades disaster. It had injured so many people; the city was short staffed and the hospitals over capacity. To top it off, the Glades weren't the safest area of the city, but having served overseas, this didn't bother her.

Wendy worked afternoons at the Glades hospital and barely had a day off. To unwind after every shift she'd grab a book and head for the same diner. This day was no different. Wendy sat in her usual booth facing the interior of the diner, the first of four. The only other seating was about ten stools lined along the counter. The coffee was the best and the food was tops. She also loved Sue, the owner. She was always working, always friendly; Wendy wondered if she ever left.

"Hospital busy as always?" asked Sue.

"Yup, never a dull moment, just the way I like it," replied Wendy.

The door chimed, signalling someone entering the diner. At this time of night, all the patrons were regulars. He was a tall, gruff man, with friendly eyes. He was a member of the Starling City police department and in the diner just as often of Wendy. She knew nothing about him other than his badge told her he was Officer Lance. They always greeted one and other with a nod, but otherwise kept to themselves.

Wendy and Sue both watched him take his usual spot in the booth farthest from her, facing the outside, which also meant he faced Wendy. This didn't bother her. It was probably some cop instinct, being able to view their full surroundings. Wendy would steal the odd glance in his direction, noticing he would do the same. She went back to reading her book, while Sue left her to take his order.

"Get ya' the usual Officer?" asked Sue.

He nodded and said "Thanks."

After a minute of reading, Wendy glanced up from her book. Something seemed off about Officer Lance. When he came in, his eyes usually looked a little distance and sad, but she figured that was how most police officers looked at the end of shift. She was sure it's the way she looked after a long shift at the hospital. Tonight was different; he looked frustrated, maybe even angry. It was unusual for him, at least here in the diner and it didn't suit him.

Something in Wendy told her to go talk to him; she didn't like this break from the norm. Closing her book, she picked up her coffee, got up and slid into the booth across from Officer Lance. He instantly looked up at her and his eyes brightened a little. This made her smile while she introduced herself.

"Wendy."

"Quentin."

The ice was broken, now they weren't just two anonymous people in a diner. Quentin was surprised Wendy was talking to him. In all the months she'd been coming in here, she'd never once spoken to him, not that he spoke to her either. She was attractive, younger than him; blond hair, green eyes and athletic looking. She made him nervous. Since his divorce, other than his daughter, women weren't a part of his life. Wendy would never know he was nervous though. A part of being a good cop was the ability to hide your emotions.

"So, what brings you to my booth?" asked Quentin.

"You look like hell, and like you could use a friend," replied Wendy.

"Is that your professional opinion?"

"Professional opinion, how do you know I don't just like wearing scrubs?"

"Maybe the security badge pinned to your shirt."

"Ah yes, there's that," she said with a smile and then added, "Anyways, it's not my professional opinion, but my I've seen you in here almost every night for months opinion."

"I don't want to burden you with my problems."

"Come on, what we talk about in the diner, stays in the diner," said Wendy winking at him.

Quentin let a smile escape his lips. He was caught off guard by Wendy, surprised by her. Even more, he was surprised when he easily confided in her. Even though they'd never talked prior, it seemed the months spent together in the diner made it easy for them to talk.

"Do you know that part of the Iron Heights prison was destroyed during the earthquake and some of the inmates escaped?"

"No. It wasn't in the news, which seems like a pretty important detail to keep from people," replied Wendy.

"Apparently they wanted to avoid a panic."

"So, that's what's got you upset?"

"Not exactly, a serial killer that I put away, he was one of the inmates who escaped and he's not just any killer, he is one of the worst."

"And the police really aren't telling the public?" said Wendy, then after a pause she added, "wait, you're a beat cop, not a detective. How did you put him away?"

"You're observant aren't you? I was a detective; I was demoted, which is an even longer story than this one."

"I have a hard time imagining what you could have done to get demoted; you'll have to tell me the story sometime. In the meantime, won't the cops be able to catch this guy?"

"Maybe, but they're short staffed and don't want my help. This guy, he's a tricky son of a bitch." Quentin hesitated before continuing, "I'm thinking about enlisting outside help, someone I think can catch him faster than the police, before he hurts anyone else."

"I know we only just starting talking tonight, but I feel like I've gotten a sense of you over the many nights spent here. You seem like a good man, like a cop who does the right thing, so you should do what you feel is right."

Quentin could only nod at her. Sue topped up both their coffees and they sat in silence, both deep in thought. In the many months since Wendy started showing up at the diner, Quentin found her attractive, what man wouldn't, but he never thought she might be interested in him. Now, here she was, sitting with him, giving him sound advice and making him smile. There were years between them though and he thought friends would be the furthest their relationship would go. Although, the thought of something more was in the back of his mind, but he push it away. There was no way she'd be interested.

Wendy found Quentin to be different, in a good way and she was intrigued by what he told her. She had wanted to talk to him sooner, but had no reason. Tonight, she was happy she finally found one. After a few moments, Quentin was the first to break the silence.

"I'm sorry to cut this short, but you're right. I've got to get in touch with someone."

"No problem. I should be getting home also," she replied with a smile.

Wendy grabbed her bag and books from her booth and they walked out together. Before she could walk away, Quentin insisted on making sure Wendy had his number. Apparently, this serial killer liked young nice looking women; she took that as a compliment.

"And here, I thought you were giving me your number so we could go out on a date," said Wendy as she turned and walked away.

Wendy's comment stopped Quentin in his tracks and for a second he watched her walk away. Once he recovered, he dialled Felicity. As much as he might consider a date with Wendy, he needed to make a more important one with the Arrow.

When Wendy got home, as usual her roommate wasn't there. They were the prefect roommates. They got along great, mostly because they didn't see one and other too often. As Wendy was getting ready for bed, she heard keys in the front door; her roommate was home.

"Hey Felicity, long day?" said Wendy greeting her roommate.

"Yeah, you?" replied Felicity.

"Yeah, but I do have some news you'll enjoy," said Wendy.

"Oh really? Just let me get ready for bed, okay," said Felicity, on the way to her room.

Wendy made them both some tea while she waited and then sat on the couch. She thought about how much they looked alike. When they were together, people thought Wendy was Felicity's older sister. Except for their eye colour and Wendy having a more athletic build, they did look very similar. Felicity returned and curled up across from her.

"You know the officer, the one that comes in the diner as often as I do? I finally talked with him tonight," said Wendy.

"And here I thought you'd sworn off men," said Felicity

"He's not the usual. He's the rare type that actually seems caring and sweet. Not like your boss, Oliver Queen." Even though Wendy had never met him, she knew Oliver Queen wasn't the same man he once was. She just enjoyed getting a reaction out of Felicity.

"Oliver isn't…" Felicity trailed off when she noticed the smirk on Wendy's face. "So you ask him out?"

"No, no. One step at a time."

They both finished their tea and headed for bed. In the morning, Felicity had already left for work. After a quick breakfast, Wendy was also off to work.

Arriving at the hospital, Wendy was one of the last few of her shift to enter the change rooms. As usual, there was a lot of pre-shift chit chat going on. She greeted people as she passed them headed for her locker. Lily, a friend and fellow nurse came up beside her as she dropped her bag into her locker and shut it.

"There you are. You haven't heard the news yet have you?" asked Lily.

"No, what news?" replied Wendy.

"You got the on call position with the police department," said Lily.

"You better not be screwing with me."

"Of course not. I don't know why you were even worried. No one else was getting it when a Special Forces army trained medical nurse applies."

Wendy was excited, this job meant time away from the hospital. The Starling City police department kept nurses on call to come to the station to help with minor injuries. It was safer, and more cost effective than bringing inmates or officers to the hospital for injuries that could be easily dealt with at the station.

Wendy and Lily parted ways. Her shift went by as it usually did - quickly. Even though it had been months since the earthquake, there were still so many injured and new people being hurt in the clean-up. The Glades hospital also had a horrible budget meaning they all did the work of at least three people. None of this bothered her. The other nurses complained of being over worked and unpaid, but never Wendy. This was her calling; she lived for this type of job. Plus, if any of them had been through what she had overseas, they would feel the same as her.

Walking up to the nursing station at the end of her shift she noticed a lot of people huddled around the television. The local news station seemed to be on.

"What's going on?" Wendy asked stepping beside Lily.

"Apparently, some serial killer called the Dollmaker escaped from Iron Heights after the earthquake. He's already killed two women since escaping. They found a second body tonight."

Wendy didn't know what to say. The Dollmaker, he had to be Quentin's escaped serial killer. She quickly got cleaned up and headed for the diner. She hoped he would still show; he probably wasn't taking the discovery of a second body well. Wendy had got the feeling that Quentin had a colourful history with this killer; a lot more then he would ever share.

Entering the diner, Wendy saw Quentin was already sitting in his usual spot, looking as bad as she thought he would. His body was more slumped in the booth versus sitting and his brow was overly furled. He had a cup of coffee waiting for her, which made her smiled a little. Comfort was something she excelled at, obviously another reason she was a nurse. Sitting down across from him, she took one of his hands into hers causing him to sit up a little and met her eyes.

"This isn't your fault, you know that right?" said Wendy.

"Right now, I just need to catch him before he kills again," replied Quentin.

"Did you contact the outside help you talked about?"

"I did. He helped me figure out how he selects his victims. We have a plan set for tomorrow night."

"This outside help," said Wendy leaning in close to Quentin, "wouldn't happen to be the vigilante?"

"The Arrow, and his team, yes."

"His team, he has a team. I shouldn't be surprised by that."

"What made you think vigilante of all things?"

"You seemed very unsure, so I assumed it was someone that the police wouldn't want you to be getting help from and he's the only one I could think of."

"How do you feel about the vigilante, about the Arrow?" asked Quentin.

"That's a tough one. Coming from the military, I'm use to rules and you follow those rules, no questions. I assume it's the same for you, being a cop. And those rules, they were created for a reason. Is it right that the Arrow breaks these rules? I'm not so sure, but his ways seem to work and they seem to be changing; less killing, more real justice."

"I once made it my mission to capture him, but after some events leading up to the earthquake my opinion has changed. I'm not saying his ways are one hundred percent correct, but it's what this city needs right now."

They sat in silence for a while, Wendy's hand still holding Quentin's. Silence, it was the reason they both came to this diner. You could sit quietly, not being bothered, alone with your thoughts. It felt different now, but a good different. Wendy noticed how tired Quentin looked, how more sadness had appeared in his eyes.

"You should go home, get some sleep. You'll need to be rested for tomorrow," said Wendy and then added, "and this time it is my professional opinion."

Smiling a little Quentin replied with, "your right."

"Of course I am."

Quentin got up and Wendy decided that she might as well head out too. They both got up to leave. Quentin surprised Wendy with one last comment on their way out.

"When I catch Mathis, we'll go on that date you mentioned last night."

"You've got a deal."

Arriving home, the apartment was empty. Wendy checked her phone. She had a text from Felicity letting her know she'd be late and she also had a voicemail from her Mother. It was the third one in weeks and it was third one she deleted without listening to it.

"How did she even get this number?" Wendy said to herself, frustrated.

Wendy had a hard time sleeping that night. First, there was this new found attraction to Quentin. She'd hadn't so much as touched a man since arriving in Starling City, until today of course. Then there were things like a crazed serial killer on the loose and the Arrow and Quentin's plan. There was also her new job. It might sound a little strange, but she couldn't wait to get her first call to the station. The thing that kept her awake though was the voicemail from her Mother.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, it felt like the world was against Wendy. Working at the hospital usually left her little time for anything, but currently things were slow. Most of the emergencies were minor, which at least left her extra time with already admitted patients. To distract herself and pass the time, she took advantage of this. Late evening, Lily paged her to the nursing station.

"You got time for a dinner break?" she asked when Wendy arrived.

"Hmm, I do actually," she replied.

The cafeteria was foreign territory for them; breaks were a rarity. They both took their time grabbing food and then found a table. As they were eating Wendy's phone started to ring. She pulled it out, noticed the caller was her Mother and rejected the call.

"Those telemarketers are annoying aren't they?" said Lily.

"Yeah, big pain," replied Wendy.

Lying wasn't something she often did, but this one would save her a lot of questions as to why she would reject calls from her Mother. She felt her phone buzz; the sound of another voicemail she would delete without listening to. Just as they were finishing up, their boss paged Wendy back to the nursing station.

"Guess my break is over," said Wendy getting up.

Wendy could see her boss waiting as she walked up to the nursing station.

"You paged me?" asked Wendy.

"The police station called, they need a nurse," replied her boss.

"Prefect, I'll get changed and head out."

The change room was empty when she entered. Wendy quickly changed out of her scrubs into jeans and a simple green blouse. A perk of this new job was something she wasn't use to, she got to wear 'normal' clothes. A quick look in the mirror caused her to fix her hair; she pulled out her messy bun and fixed it into a lose ponytail.

Fifteen minutes later Wendy arrived at the station. Something big must have happened, there was a lot of commotion. Supply kit over her shoulder, she greeted the officer at the front desk. He called another officer who walked her to one of the interrogation rooms.

"I'll just be outside if you need anything," said the officer to Wendy as he opened the door for her.

"Thanks," she replied.

Wendy's breath caught in her throat when she caught sight of who was sitting at the table, handcuffs on his wrists, blood on his face. She immediately went to him, placing her kit on the table.

"We're supposed to meet at the diner, not the police station with you in handcuffs."

"Things didn't go as planned," replied Quentin.

"I can see that."

Quentin had two terrible looking cuts on his face, the worst of the two on his forehead and the second on his bottom lip. Opening her kit, Wendy put on a pair of latex gloves and picked up her pen light. She stepped up beside him and started by checking his pupils, making sure he didn't have a concussion. She could have sworn she heard his breath catch at their closeness, but then maybe it was just the sudden light in his eyes. Next she started cleaning the gash on his forehead. He flinched as the antiseptic hit the wound.

"I told them I didn't want a nurse," said Quentin.

"You might've not wanted one, but you do need one," replied Wendy.

"That's your professional opinion," said Quentin.

"It is, and it's the best in the city."

Wendy smiled at him as she finished with the first cut.

"Damn, you won't need stitches," said Wendy.

"Last time I checked, that was a good thing," replied Quentin.

"I thought I might get to show you my impressive stitching skills."

Wendy glanced at his second cut. There wasn't much that could be done for a cut on a persons lip, but she needed to check that it would heal okay and clean it out. With a Q-tip, she carefully cleaned the cut. To get a good gauge of the damage, she placed her thumb on his bottom lip and moved it across slowly. Even with her gloves still on it was a more sensual gesture then she initial meant it to be. It brought a flutter to her stomach and she removed her finger. After taking a moment, she spoke.

"What've you been arrested for?"

"Obstruction; I was told to stay away from the case," replied Quentin. Wendy's worry must have shown because he added, "Don't worry; they're just trying to make a point. I'll be out by morning."

"You better be."

Wendy couldn't linger any longer and knocked on the door letting the officer know she was done. Before leaving she glanced back at Quentin; he was running his finger over the area where her finger had been.

Curling up with a book in bed was on the top of Wendy's mind on the drive home. She made a quick stop at the diner to get a doggie bag and then went home. When Wendy entered their apartment, Felicity was lying on the couch with an ice pack on her head.

"What the heck happened to you?" questioned Wendy.

"You usually have better bedside manner than that," replied Felicity.

"Sorry, rough night. Obviously not as rough as yours. What happened?"

As Wendy sat down, she caught Felicity eyeing her sandwich and fries from the diner. She slid half the sandwich her way and spilt the fries.

"Thanks. I was out shopping and the Dollmaker tried to kidnap me."

"_The _Dollmaker? I can't get away from that name. Someone really needs to catch him."

"What do you mean you can't get away?" asked Felicity.

"That officer, from the diner. He's the one who originally caught the Dollmaker. He was arrested tonight trying to re-catch him."

"Officer Lance. He's your diner crush?"

"Crush sounds so childish, but yes. Wait, you know him?"

"Ah, no, no. I just know who he his, you know from the news."

The way Felicity didn't quite meet her eyes made Wendy think she knew more than she was letting on. It was late, and she wasn't going to push someone into sharing something they didn't want to. They were both tired and ready for bed anyways. Before letting Felicity sleep though, Wendy felt the need to make sure she was okay. After a quick inspection she okayed her for bed.

"I was checked out by a doctor you know," said Felicity.

"I know, but I'll sleep better knowing I check you out myself," replied Wendy.

The morning came and Quentin was still handcuffed at the station. He'd had been temporarily distracted by Wendy early in the night, but spend most of it worrying about Mathis and where he might be. All he could hope was the Arrow was still on the job.

He was just about to call someone to see what was going on when his daughter, Laurel entered the room. She tossed the keys to the handcuffs on the table and informed him she was able to get the charges dropped. He wished she would have stayed out of it, as he told Wendy, they would have let him off.

After a short argument, Laurel stormed out. It seemed like father, like daughter, they both had issues moving on and letting go. Walking through the parking garage, Quentin wished he and Laurel were on better terms. Since losing Tommy, her boyfriend in the earthquake she hadn't been the same. It worried him.

His thoughts we're interrupted by a stranger crouched next to a van. He was mumbling what seemed to be nonsense. Quentin couldn't help but stop to see if the man was okay, but it was no stranger. The words "are you okay" had barely left his mouth when the man turned on Quentin, thrusting a taser into his chest. As he fell to his knees, he realized it was Mathis.

Mathis bounded Quentin's hands and feet with electrical ties and pushed him into the van he'd been leaning against. If things weren't already bad enough, Quentin realized Laurel was bound beside him.

Wendy woke to Felicity standing over her lightly shaking her and saying her name. It took her a few seconds to process the look on Felicity's face.

"What's going on?" asked Wendy.

"Turn on your TV," replied Felicity.

"Seriously, what's going on?" said Wendy as she hunted for the remote.

Wendy found it on her night stand and turned on the TV. Felicity instructed her to turn to the local Starling news channel. There was breaking news about the Dollmaker. It made Wendy instantly sit up and lean in close to the screen. She hoped she'd miss read the banner scrolling across the screen or maybe she didn't hear the news caster correctly. A chill ran through her whole body. Quentin and his daughter Laurel had been captured by the Dollmaker. Their current location unknown.

"This is some kind of horrible dream," said Wendy.

"Unfortunately not," replied Felicity.

"What do we do?" asked Wendy.

"Nothing. It'll be okay."

"How do you know?"

"Ah, I just do. I've got a good feeling…" said Felicity. Before Wendy could reply, she added, "I've got to get to work," and quickly exited Wendy's room and their apartment.

"Why do I feel like I'm missing something?" Wendy said to herself.

Wendy again noted Felicity's lack of eye contact. Along with the fact that she bolted out of their apartment faster than the road runner, it seemed Felicity might know more about what's going on then she wanted Wendy to know.

Wendy took a deep breath and got out of bed. Now what? She wouldn't just sit in bed worrying. If only she knew how Quentin contacted the Arrow; she could make sure he was out there looking for them. At least knowing he has some kind of relationship with the Arrow made her feel a little better, but it'd still be nice if she could confirm he was looking for them.

Before heading to work, she called the police department to inquire about the status of Quentin and Laurel. All she was told was that they were following all leads; typical police bullshit. Pulling out her phone, she wrote a quick text to Felicity to let her know if she heard anything further.

Wendy managed to get herself to work. There was nothing she could do at home, so she might as well do some good at the hospital. It was the first time since arriving that she didn't really want to be there. Every patient's room she visited that had TV access she asked them to put the news on for her. After a couple of hours or so of no new information, she received a text from Felicity instruction her to turn on the news. Glancing at her list, Ms. White, one of her favourite patients was Wendy's next stop. Ms. White was an older lady, who was recovering from complications from hip replacement surgery. She loved to knit, and always had the news on as background noise.

When she entered Ms. White's room, as predicted the news was already on. Wendy didn't want to be rude, but her eyes went straight to the screen and she forgot to greet the older lady. There was breaking news; Quentin and his daughter had been found, both alive. The Dollmaker, he was dead. The relief must have shown on her face.

"Friends of yours Hun?" asked Mrs. White, pulling Wendy back to reality.

"Yes, well, the man is," replied Wendy.

"Just friends?"

"Yes, just friends."

"Wendy dear, life is too short to be _just friends_ with a man. You especially. You have the beauty and the body yet you avoid them."

"I don't know that avoid is the right word."

Wendy could feel heat rising in her cheeks. Ms. White was quite the vixen and was constantly telling all the female nurses to enjoy men and the 'fun' they could provide. The male nurses had it worse, she loved to flirt. Wendy in particular drove her nuts. She'd made the mistake in telling her she'd sworn off men. She finished up and went to leave; Ms. White stopped her.

"Dear, this man friend of yours, now's the perfect opportunity to sleep with him. He will need some comfort."

Wendy walked out laughing to herself and probably with what she imagined were the brightest red her cheeks had ever been. That was the exact reason she was one of her favourite patients. You always left her room with a smile.

Standing in the hallway, Ms. White's last comment brought the feeling of Quentin's lip under her finger to the top of her mind. For a short minute she imagined those lips against hers causing her cheeks to feel even warmer. Ms. White would be proud.

Wendy thought about calling Quentin, after all, she did have his number. Instead she decided they were sure to cross paths at the diner. At the end of her shift, she followed her usual routine. She grabbed her bag from her locker and headed to the diner. Her butt was barely in the booth and Sue was pouring her coffee. She'd just got her book open when the diner's phone rang. Sue left her to answer it.

"Hello. Yes, she's here. Hold on," said Sue.

Wendy noticed Sue waving her over, so she got up, wondering who it would be. She took the receiver and said hello. Quentin, she should have guessed. She had his number, but he was the one person who didn't have hers.

"How are you? How's your daughter?" asked Wendy.

"Fine, alive, thankfully," Quentin replied.

"Good, glad to hear."

"You weren't worried were you?"

"No, of course not," said Wendy swearing she could hear Quentin grin on the other end knowing she was fully lying.

"I just wanted to let you know we were okay and… seeing as Mathis has been taken care of, I owe you a date."

"You don't _owe_ me anything, but a date would be wonderful."

"Would tomorrow be too soon?" asked Quentin.

"No, not at all."

Wendy would have to find someone to take her shift, but she kept that small detail to herself. Quentin recommended they meet at a small pub he frequented; good food and low key. It sounded prefect. Hanging up the phone, she suddenly felt her stomach tighten. This was going to be her first date in an eternity.

Quentin ended the call with Wendy; he was still at Laurel's. He'd called Wendy once he noticed Laurel had finally fallen asleep. Worried about his daughter, he wasn't ready to go home. He made himself as comfortable as possible on her couch. Tall people and couches didn't go together, making him curse under his breath. Unable to fall asleep, he wondered what his first date since his divorce would be like.


	3. Chapter 3

"No," said Felicity.

"What? What's wrong?" asked Wendy.

"You can't go on a date dressed like that. I forbid it," replied Felicity.

Felicity had made sure she was home to help Wendy prepare for her date with Quentin. Currently, Wendy was standing in her bedroom, dressed in her nicest jeans, a plain blouse with a sweater and black boots. Considering she lived in scrubs, she felt her outfit was a step up. Sitting down on her bed, she watched as Felicity wildly rooted through her closet.

"Do you own anything other than what you're wearing and scrubs?" asked Felicity.

"Not really. You do remember I basically live at work right?"

In the blink of an eye, Felicity left Wendy's room. Through the wall, Wendy could hear Felicity open her own closet and hear hangers sliding around. Minutes later she returned.

"Try this one. The colour will bring out your eyes," said Felicity handing Wendy a shirt.

Wendy changed, pulling Felicity's shirt over her head. This blouse was a light pink and the neck line was lower than she usually wore, but Felicity was right. It definitely brought out her green eyes and she did looked more date ready.

"Okay, so now I'm good?" asked Wendy.

Felicity walked up to Wendy and slowly looked her over. Wendy felt like she was an experiment being analyzed. After a moment, Felicity reached up and pulled her hair clip out causing Wendy's hair to fall over her shoulders.

"There. Now you look like you actually want to have a good time," said Felicity.

"Thanks. When this works out, you're coming shopping with me," said Wendy opening the door and heading out.

She was a little early, so she walked to the pub allowing the fresh air calm her nerves. It was a good choice and gave her time to realize how nice it would be to have some change from her usual routine. It also helped that Quentin seemed like a genuinely decent man, which was very different for her.

Arriving at the pub, Wendy saw Quentin sitting at a table near the back. She glanced around as she worked her way to him. It was a typical pub and the food smelled as good as Quentin said it would. It was a week night, so there were only a handful of other people sitting and eating; a few at the bar and the rest at tables. There was a pool table in one corner and a couple dartboards along the wall.

Quentin was sitting at a table meant for four. As she got close, he stood and pulled out the chair next to him, not across from him. Once she was seated he helped her comfortably slide in to the table. This was a gesture she was foreign to. Their knees brushed under the table as Quentin sat back in his seat causing Wendy's skin to tingle slightly.

"Thanks. This is a nice place," said Wendy as she tried to remember the last time she'd reacted like that to a man's touch.

"It's another of my favourites," replied Quentin.

The waitress interrupted to take their drink orders. She tried to sell them their specials on beer and wine, but they both politely declined. It was simple for both of them, water. When the waitress walked away, Quentin spoke.

"You don't drink? It's my treat," he said.

"I never really have. Neither do you?" replied Wendy feeling her stomach knot.

Wendy watched as Quentin's demeanour changed, his shoulders slumping over slightly. He took a deep breath and wouldn't quite met Wendy's eyes.

"I lost one of my daughters, Sarah, six years ago. I turned to the bottle to hide from the pain. My wife left me, and I put Laurel through hell." He took a moment before continuing, "Two realizations made me get sober; the pain of losing Sarah would always be with me and I didn't want to lose Laurel."

Wendy reached out and put her hand on his. She never would have guessed, but then alcoholics don't walk around wearing badges to let others know; her own Mother was prime example. Taking a deep breath, she shared something very few knew about her.

"First, I have to tell you, Laurel has a great Dad. I know what it's like; my Mother's struggled with alcohol since as long as I can remember. I've got too many memories I've spent a long time moving past."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Be happy you beat it, be happy you still have Laurel. If you don't mind me asking, how long have you been sober?"

"Two years, six months, and fifteen days. Staying sober, I'm not going to lie, it's an everyday struggle, but more than ever, I have more reasons to stay sober than not."

Halting their conversation, their waitress returned with two ice waters and to take their food orders. Seeing as they had been talking, Wendy hadn't even look at the menu.

"What do recommend?" she asked Quentin.

"You can't go wrong with their signature cheese burger and fries," replied Quentin.

"Done. That's what I'll have."

Quentin ordered the same thing and the waitress left them.

"What'd you do before Starling?" asked Quentin.

"I was a special forces medical officer. I enlisted straight out of high school and earned my medical degree while serving. About six months before the earthquake, I was injured overseas and sent home." Wendy ran a hand across her stomach and heard her voice catch a bit as she continued, "Just before the quake, I had fully recovered and needed to decide whether to go back overseas. The earthquake made my decision. How could I go back when my own country could use my help."

"And you've decided to stay, even with the worst over?"

"I feel in love with my job. I know the glades aren't the nicest part of town, but the people are mostly good people – people who've just had a hard life. The bad ones bring them all down… Now, I could also have other reasons to stay."

Crossing her legs under the table, Wendy felt her foot lightly brush Quentin's leg. Without a thought, she held her foot in place and then lightly, she ran her foot up and down. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized what was she was doing and that she wasn't interested in stopping. Quentin didn't say anything, but his breathing had become a little unsteady and he was running his finger over her hand in almost the exact same motion.

Their food arrived and they ate mostly in silence, other than Wendy's compliments. The burger was definitely one of the best. Wendy noticed Quentin was watching her, so she smiled at him and then finished eating. Once they were both done, she pointed at the dartboards.

"You up for a couple of games?" asked Wendy.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea. I'm afraid I might beat you too badly," replied Quentin.

"Challenge accepted. Come on."

Getting up, Wendy motioned at Quentin to join her. Quentin watched Wendy walk away towards the dartboards, taking a moment before getting up to follow. He was finding it hard to believe she was on a date with him and that she was still here, even after he admitted he was a recovering alcoholic.

Wendy had been eyeing the boards from the moment she'd arrived. It was common overseas, but she rarely played at home. Quentin started off strong and won the first game, but Wendy was finding her groove in the second game.

"Do you know who the Arrow is? I mean, what makes a man do what he does?" asked Wendy.

"There was a time I thought I knew who he was, but that doesn't matter as much anymore. As for what makes him do it; I think the only way to know for sure, is to know who he is. Everyone has a reason to go outside the system," replied Quentin.

"Think of the training he must have. From what I've heard and read, his training has to be way beyond military. A bow as a primary weapon, crazy," said Wendy.

"Trust me, it's definitely beyond military."

The second game ended with Wendy barely winning. She tried not to celebrate too much. It was decided that they needed to play a third game as a tie breaker. All the rust was gone and Wendy pulled out the third game in record time.

"You know I had to let you win seeing as it's our first date," said Quentin.

"You better not have," replied Wendy.

"Maybe, maybe not," said Quentin, the look on his face making her question whether he was joking or not.

Three games was enough and they called it a night. Quentin insisted on walking Wendy home and getting a cab to his place from there; which after the night they'd had so far, was okay with her. At first, the fact that he was a recovering alcoholic made her a little nervous, but those nerves lessened the more they talked. After the short walk to her apartment, Wendy stopped close to Quentin, standing in front of him. He then took a step closer not leaving much space between them. Their closeness made Wendy note that Quentin was taller than she'd originally realized.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did Sarah die?"

Wendy caught a glimpse of a pain that she assumed a person only saw in the eyes of parents who lost children. He recovered quickly and answered.

"You've probably heard of Oliver Queen and his coming back from the dead?"

"Yes, my roommate works for him. If I recall correctly, his Father's yacht sunk in a storm, presumably killing everyone."

"Sarah was with him on the yacht."

"I'm sorry," said Wendy as she reached out and put her hand on the upper part of his arm.

Quentin moved his head to watch Wendy's hand as she slid it down his arm, across his forearm and intertwined her fingers with his. They just held hands, both shifting awkwardly. After a minute, Wendy's adrenaline kicked in and she reminded herself she wasn't a shy person. Lifting her open hand to his neck, she raised the heel of her boots slightly off the ground directing him to her lips. His body relaxed; the still fresh cut on his bottom lip feeling rough against her lips. Deepening the kiss, she felt Quentin's open hand on her lower back as he lightly pulled her closer to him. A honk sounded behind them pulling them apart and ending the moment. It was Quentin's cab.

"Thanks for the great night," said Quentin.

"You too," replied Wendy, releasing his hand so he could move to the cab.

Wendy watched Quentin climb in before turning and heading into her building. Once she was safely inside she watched his cab pull away. Reaching their apartment door she wondered if Felicity was home; she'd like to have the night to digest her date before being interrogated.

The apartment was dark when she entered telling her Felicity wasn't home yet. It baffled Wendy to think that Felicity's job caused her to have such long hours. An executive assistant position didn't seem like an all hours of the day and night type job, but Felicity seemed content with it. Actually, she was pretty sure Felicity had a thing for her boss even though she'd never come out and said it.

As Wendy lay in bed, she replayed their kiss. It was the first one she'd experienced in a long time, and it was different, in a good way. If only they hadn't been rudely interrupted by a cab. In the morning, the feelings still lingered where Quentin had touched her; on her lips, her hand and her back. As expected, Felicity was waiting for her in the kitchen, tea ready. Wendy filled her in, not sharing too much detail; just enough to get Felicity excited.

"He's a sweet man. It's especially nice to be out with a man who looks you in the eye, who doesn't just stare at your chest and ass all night," said Wendy.

"Seriously, what kind of men have you dated up until now," replied Felicity.

"The wrong ones."

"So, was there a good night kiss?"

"If you must know, yes."

"And here you weren't going to have anything to do with another man _ever_ again."

"Try not to get to excited, okay."

"You're practically glowing this morning, so you must be excited, thus me being excited. On top of that, I have no dating life, so I'll have to live through yours."

"If you didn't work so much, you might find time for dates."

"I like my job and Oliver. Well I don't _like, _like Oliver just enjoy him, ah I mean working with him."

Wendy couldn't help but smiled as a clearly flustered Felicity headed to her room to get ready for work. Wendy made herself breakfast and moved to the living room to eat. She was finishing up when Felicity came out, looking near perfect, ready for work.

"Did he ask about the injuries that brought you home?" asked Felicity, putting on her shoes.

"Actually no. He's knows I was injured, but he never asked for details," replied Wendy.

"See, not everyone is as nosy as you think."

"I know. Nine times out of ten it's a person's first question. Everyone seem fascinated to know if I was shot. I'll have to tell him eventually of course, especially if things progress the way I'd like, but it was nice that unlike other people it wasn't the first thing he asked."

Felicity again got a little too excited over Wendy's comment about progression with a man, so Wendy told her to get to work. After Felicity left, it was time for Wendy to get ready for work. Felicity's excitement must have got to her. As she dug out a clean set of scrubs she couldn't stop smiling and she felt almost high.


	4. Chapter 4

Work was busy enough to pass the day by at a decent pace. It was spilt by another trip to the police station, this time, happily not for Quentin. Returning to the hospital, Wendy noticed Ms. White was on her schedule. She hadn't seen her since the 'heated cheeks' experience and she knew very well that Ms. White's mind was still very sharp; she would remember their last meeting. Walking in, as usual, the news was on and the knitting needles were going strong.

"How you feeling? Says here you'll be able to go home soon," said Wendy.

"Yes, yes, very good, for a women of my age of course. Enough about me though, how are you dear? How's that man friend of yours?" asked Ms. White.

Wendy wasn't one to get embarrassed easily, but one question from this lady and she could instantly feel her body temperature rise. "Also very good, both of us," answered Wendy.

"Mmm, something happened dear. It's written all over your face. Did you sleep with him?"

A laugh escaped her mouth, "No, not quite."

"But something happened, you must share."

"Well, we went on a date. It was nice. He's quite the gentlemen and at the end of the night we shared what I can only describe as an amazing kiss."

Wendy was sure most of the hospital heard the elderly lady's squeal of joy. If anyone were listening they might think Wendy was embellishing the kiss for Ms. White's benefit. It sounded almost teenagerish to describe a kiss as 'amazing', but it was the truth and Wendy couldn't think of any other words that accurately described how it had felt.

"This a marvellous," exclaimed Ms. White. "It's too bad I won't be here long enough to hear more," she added and then after a brief pause, "I'll give you my number dear. You must call me."

Wendy graciously accepted her phone number. Whether or not she'd actual call her, it was easier than saying no. Cheeks blazing hot again, she said goodbye and left. Ms. White had two children and five grandchildren. Wendy thought to herself, "What must it be like having her as a Mother and Grandmother?"

Her shift over, Wendy stuck to her usual routine; she got cleaned up and headed for the diner. The only difference from the usual was she finished up a little sooner. Although she'd never openly admit it, she was motivated by the excitement of seeing Quentin again. The diner's door chimed signalling her arrival to Sue who waved to her from behind the counter. Looking towards the back, she noted Quentin hadn't arrived yet. Walking past her usual booth, she took a seat in his. By the time Sue came around the counter and finished pouring two coffees, the door chimed again and Quentin came through the door. Wendy knew it was him without turning around.

"What'd you think you're doing in my booth?" said Quentin.

"I can easily move back," replied Wendy starting to get up.

Quentin reached out and stopped her, "Please, stay."

Wendy smiled, "It's more comfortable here anyways."

Except for some small talk about their days, they sat in silence; both enjoying their coffees and their thoughts. Having higher stress jobs, this was a time they both needed to decompress. It felt easier now having company. A few days past like this. There was no mention of another date, but Wendy wasn't worried. This was a change in both their lives and they needed time to adjust. Wendy mentioned that the following day was a rare day off for her.

"And what exactly does a special forces nurse do with her days off?" asked Quentin.

"There's a family in the glades that I take groceries to. Louisa's husband was killed during the quake and two of her three children were also injured. They were patients of mine at the hospital and they don't have much. Before I visit them, I make a stop at the glades shelter and help serve lunch."

"I'm somehow not surprised. Why this family in particular?" asked Quentin.

Wendy surprised herself by not hesitating to answer. "People think the longer you do a job like yours or mine, you somehow become indifferent to the death you experience, but you don't. When Louisa's husband and kids came into emergency, her husband was beyond saving, we all knew it and he seemed to know too. He held on long enough to hear both his kids would be okay. I was there when the Doctor gave Louisa the bad news. It wasn't pretty…"

Looking down at the table, Quentin watched as Wendy fidgeted with her empty coffee mug. Gently, he pulled her hands from the mug and held them in his. There was clearly much more to the story. His touch seemed to settle her nerves; she took a deep breath and looked a little less tense.

"Louisa reminded me of a friend's wife, a friend who died; who shouldn't've," added Wendy.

Quentin didn't push her or question her for more information; he knew that Wendy had already shared more with him then she would have with anyone else. Shortly after, they exited the diner together.

"Careful tomorrow," said Quentin.

"Always am," she replied.

First thing in the morning, the grocery store was in Wendy's sights. She lived a simple life, spilt rent and most bills with Felicity and rarely bought anything for herself. That left her with more money than she felt she rightly needed. At the grocery store, she always picked up a nice balance of fresh and non-perishable items; both for the shelter and Louisa's family. The shelter accepted everything no questions and Louisa's only requirement was that Wendy stayed for dinner with her and the kids.

Wendy drove to the shelter with a trunk full of groceries. Most everyone knew her there and gave her a pleasant greeting. After unloading the groceries, she helped prepare and serve lunch. After, she headed to Louisa's. As always, Wendy left her car at the shelter and walked. Louisa's house wasn't far and her car was less likely to be broken into at the shelter then if she parked it on the road somewhere.

Louisa's cooking was some of the best she'd ever had. Wendy helped her prep for their meal and then as always, she entertained the kids while Louisa did the actual cooking. It'd been longer then usual since her last visit, so she lost track of time and ended up leaving later than planned. Louisa had suggested that Wendy get a cab back to the shelter, but she was confident she'd be fine.

As she walked, the street was empty and dark with few street lights lit. Approaching an alley, Wendy got the feeling she was being followed. Glancing over her shoulder, she didn't see anyone, but she picked up the pace. Moments later as she passed the alley, out of nowhere, two men gripped her arms and pulled her in where two other men were waiting.

None of them spoke. They all just stared at Wendy, their eyes boring holes through her. One still gripped her wrist tight, while the other now stood slightly behind, close on her side. The other two stood further away blocking any escape from the alley. It only took seconds for Wendy to decide she would fight. Her training would be rusty as she'd let things slide since arriving in Starling, but she wasn't defenceless. These men would under estimate her and that just might give her a slight advantage. The man behind her took the back of her elbow to the face. A loud crack and scream told her that her aim had been spot on. She then turned and kneed the one holding her wrist in the groin. Releasing her arm, he fell to the ground.

"You bitch, you're going to pay for that," said one of the man blocking her exit, now holding a knife.

Wendy wanted to reach for the collapsible baton she kept strapped to her ankle, but was afraid to bend down for it. Glancing around she noticed the two men were recovering and the one with the knife was approaching her. Taking a chance, she bent down, clutched the baton and flicked her wrist to extend it. Lashing out at the man with the knife, Wendy's baton connected with his arm, causing him to drop the knife and stumble back. Unfortunately, Wendy was a few seconds too slow and he'd cut her arm before she'd disarmed him. The pain distracted her and a fist from the fourth man slammed into the side of her face. Stumbling to the side, she tripped on some garbage and fell to the ground, pain radiating through her hip.

They were on her before she could react; two of the men held her in place, while the other two started to advance on her. Pushing fear and panic aside she tried to come up with a way out; the baton was still gripped in her hand, but she wasn't able to move her arms. Suddenly, she saw a masked woman appeared behind them. The men were so focused on Wendy they didn't see her. Wendy also saw the staff. She watched from the ground as the woman raised the staff and swiftly took out two of the four men. The other two, afraid for their lives released Wendy. Wendy took advantage of the opening and brought up her baton. She heard a crack as it connected with one of the man's knees. As he fell to the ground, Wendy knocked him in the head with the butt of the baton, knocking him out. The other started to run, but there wasn't enough speed, the mystery women quickly took care of him. Once satisfied the men were no longer a danger, she turned to Wendy and looked her straight in the eye.

"Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," replied Wendy.

In the blink of an eye, the mystery women was gone. In shock, Wendy limped out of the alley. She felt the warmth of blood running down her arm and removed her sweater to try and stop the bleeding. Heading towards the shelter, a fellow volunteer happened to be driving by and noticed her. Pulling over, they could tell something bad had happened. They helped Wendy into their car and took her to the hospital or more specifically, her hospital. Lily was working emergency when Wendy walked in and didn't hesitate to take her into a room to get her looked at. Wendy had gained some composer back and was able to tell her she been attacked, but didn't go into great detail; it was easier to keep her composer that way.

"For sure you're arm's going to need stitches. Sit. I'll be right back," said Lily.

Wendy did as she was told and sat on the bed. Adrenaline was still pumping through her body, so she didn't feel the pain yet, but she would later. Lily left for what Wendy assumed was supplies. Lightly touching her face, she winced, not wanting to even consider what it looked like. Returning, Lily handed an ice pack to Wendy and she slowly touched it to her face, feeling some relief.

"You probably have a mild concussion," said Lily as she started to clean out Wendy's arm wound.

"Wonderful," said Wendy.

The light in the room was making her head pound so she closed her eyes. The mystery woman's face was the first thing she saw. Wendy considered what could have happened if she hadn't shown up. Realizing things could have been a lot worse, she took a deep breath and open her eyes. Looking through the room's window, she saw Quentin coming towards them.

"You called him?" said Wendy, she wasn't mad, but surprised.

"I did. You _were_ attacked and you know I have to report it, so I figured you would be more comfortable talking with him. I also called Felicity, seeing as you don't have family around here," answer Lily.

"Thanks," said Wendy, glad that she'd mentioned her date to Lily.

Quentin reached them just as Lily injected Wendy with a local anaesthetic to numb her arm for the stitches. At first he looked angry. His face tensed, his eyes squinted with an intensity and then he stepped into the room. His face relaxed, his eyes opened and he looked more concerned. Wendy smiled, trying to show him it wasn't as bad as it looked and trying to reassure herself.

"I know, I know. What was I thinking?"

"Don't worry about that. You're okay?" said Quentin.

"I'm okay," replied Wendy, admittedly not as confident as she'd like.

Quentin stayed back and observed as Lily finished stitching Wendy's arm. Wendy complimented Lily on her skills, saying they're second only to own. Letting Wendy know she'd be back to check on her later, Lily left. Quentin then moved to the bed and sat down beside Wendy; close enough she felt the heat from his body. It was a comforting feeling and she angled herself towards him.

"I had help. A blond women, dressed in black, armed with a staff; she came out of nowhere," said Wendy.

"This same description's been showing up a lot in the glades since the quake," replied Quentin.

"Another vigilante," said Wendy.

"Seems like," replied Quentin.

Quentin asked Wendy for the location of the incident and called it in. Officers would head to the scene in hopes that all of the men would be there and arrested. Considering what Wendy witnessed, they probably couldn't have gone far, if anywhere at all. Wendy also handed over her baton as it was evidence.

"I'll need to take a full statement," said Quentin.

Before Wendy could respond, she heard her name. Looking up, she saw Felicity entering the room, a look of horror on her face. In a heartbeat, Felicity crossed the room and pulled Wendy in for a gentle hug. They both might work long hours and not spend a lot of time together, but they had become good friends.

"It's not as bad as it looks," said Wendy as Felicity held her.

"You would say that even if you were in a full body cast," quipped Felicity.

Quentin interrupted them, "You two know each other?"

Wendy considered pointing out that she wouldn't go around allowing strangers to hug her, but Quentin had a serious look on his face so she just replied with "Felicity's my roommate."

Felicity released Wendy and slowly turned towards Quentin. Wendy got the impression Felicity had been so concerned with her that she didn't realize who else was in the room. Felicity whole body had stiffened.

"Detective Lance, nice to see you," said Felicity.

"Miss Smoak," replied Quentin.

"Okay, am I missing something?" said Wendy.

"Is this why the sudden interest and all the talk about the Arrow?" said Quentin to Wendy sounding hurt.

"Wait, what? Can we take a step back please," said Wendy.

Quentin stood and looked from Wendy to Felicity and back. His brow was tensed, his eyes were squinted again and he looked unsure. Wendy didn't enjoy feeling like she was missing something and it was clear she was. Felicity looked like a deer in headlights; she was frozen in place except for her eyes, which were looking every direction but at Wendy.

"Would some _please_ tell me what is going on?" said Wendy, raising her voice.

"You don't know," said Quentin.

"Clearly," snapped Wendy, her headache intensifying.

"Felicity is my contact to the Arrow, she works for him," replied Quentin.

The room was silent as the pieces came together in Wendy's mind. It explained so much. "That's why you're always getting home so late. That's how you knew Quentin and Laurel would be okay."

Felicity just nodded at Wendy. Lily had returned, interrupting them. It couldn't have been better timing and gave them all a moment to digest the new revelations. Lily gave Wendy a final check and okay her to go home.

"Felicity, will you take Wendy home?" said Quentin.

"Of course," replied Felicity.

"I want to check in at the scene, get an update, but I still need to take your statement," said Quentin. It was directed at Wendy, but he wouldn't meeting her eyes and he looked uncomfortable.

"Just stop by our place after. Don't worry about the time, we should do it before there's a chance I might forget something," replied Wendy.

Quentin agreed and walked both of them to Felicity's car. The drive home was a quiet one. Quentin's sudden change had Wendy confused and the pain wasn't helping her think. Once home, Wendy changed out of her dirty, bloody clothes into sweatpants and a tank top and then moved to the couch. Swallowing her pain meds, she also realized why Felicity had become quiet.

"I'm not mad at you," said Wendy trying to get comfortable on the couch.

"You're not? I've kind of been lying to you since we met," said Felicity, her head poking out from the kitchen.

"I get it, he's got an identity to keep hidden and the less people that know the better. Can I ask just one question?" Felicity nodded, so Wendy continued, "Is the Arrow connected to a women vigilante, blond, likes black leather?"

"She helped you, didn't she? I've been monitoring her movements for the Arrow."

"Well, if you happen to meet her, thank her for me."

Wendy put her head back on the arm of the couch and stretched out her legs as Felicity came out of the kitchen, tea in hand. Just as Felicity placed the cups on the table, the buzzer for their apartment went off signalling someone wanted in. It was Quentin, Felicity let him up and into their apartment then excused herself. Sitting up, Wendy pulled in her feet and gestured for Quentin to sit. He still wouldn't quite look at her, so she moved within reach and put a hand on his thigh. This got his attention and he looked right at her.

"What's going on? You've been off since Felicity showed up," asked Wendy.

"Finding out you knew her meant maybe you were just hanging around me for the Arrow," said Quentin.

"Seriously?" said Wendy, then looking at his face added, "You're serious. To what end?"

"For information, to have an in on what I know about him."

"Plausible, but not true. Trust me, I'm as shocked as you."

Wendy was a little caught off guard by this omission; she realized Quentin felt guilt for thinking the worst of her. At the hospital she'd been too preoccupied with everything else. Quentin had an arrogance about him, an attitude that was covering a more self-conscious side. Unable to resist, she moved closer to him. After everything that had happened tonight, maybe someone else would be mad at both Felicity and Quentin, but these were small things compared to what she'd been through.

"You okay to tell me what happened?" asked Quentin.

"Yeah. I'm sore and tired, but let's get this over with," replied Wendy.

"Three of the men were still on scene when officers arrived, two dead, the other in a coma. It looks like one was able to leave the scene. I'll need you to tell me everything you can remember, especially any details about the attackers."

Wendy had witnessed and recounted so many horrible things while serving overseas and only once had she felt true fear for her life. It was the moment where she thought her life was over; the moment that had brought her home. That same fear surfaced today just before the vigilante woman arrived. It was a fear that comes with complete loss of control. As she recounted the events to Quentin, Wendy focused on the details to forget the fear. The alley had been dark making physical descriptions hard, so she listed off the injuries she'd caused.

"I broke one of their noses and for sure shattered a knee cap with my baton." Wendy paused for a second having completed her retelling of the events, "Damn, what was I thinking."

"I'm sure you're thinking you should have called a cab, but coming from personal experience, you can't change the past and don't dwell on it, it'll eat you up inside," replied Quentin.

For the corner of his eyes, Quentin watched a small smile appear on Wendy's face. He hoped she understood that he wasn't just referring to today's events, that his statement was broader. Wendy was clearly holding on to some other parts of her past.

"So does Felicity and myself being friends change anything with us?" asked Wendy.

"No, but the three of us might want to set some ground rules."

Quentin made a good point, it was something they would have to discuss. Moving right up beside him, Wendy rested the uninjured side of her head on his chest and put her arm across his stomach. As she listened to his heartbeat, she felt his arm wrap around her and rest on her side. The pain in her body brought back the fear, but she concentrated on the moment and relaxed.

* * *

A/N: Thanks to the Fav/Follows so far! Hope everyone continues to enjoy!


	5. Chapter 5

"Good morning. How you feeling?" asked Felicity.

"Great. It will be so nice to get out of the apartment, back to normal," replied Wendy.

Two days, it was all Wendy could take _and_ it was all work could take without her. Done with lying around the apartment, she was thrilled to be heading back and getting out. She'd also decided it was time to get back in shape starting with the gym. Hopefully from there she could find someone to help with training.

After an hour at the gym, Wendy headed to work. There, she was questioned by everyone. Even after two days, the bruising and swelling on her face was hard to cover. Still, at the end of shift, she was glad to be back to work. Slumped against the lockers, she let out a deep breath. The gym was good and work was good. Even better, she couldn't wait to get to the diner; more normal. A full grin on her face, she practically danced into the diner. Sliding in the booth a yawn escaped her, but she held the smile.

"Let me guess, you're tired of being ask what happened," said Quentin sliding a coffee in front of her.

"It's exhausting. The more times I tell the story, the worse I feel about the whole thing," replied Wendy.

"You're happy to be back here though."

"Yes. Any news on the guy that got away?" asked Wendy.

"Nothing… Everyone seems more concerned about catching the vigilantes than the actual bad guys. I've been there. I wasted time chasing the Arrow, but I realized if we just dealt with the real bad guys, the real problems, the city wouldn't need the vigilantes," answered Quentin in a strained tone.

"You got that right," sighed Wendy.

Instead of coming to the diner the last two nights, Quentin had visited Wendy at her apartment. It had been clear she was still frustrated with what had happened and he was frustrated with the police. Before Quentin could respond to Wendy, his phone rang. It was far from good news. Laurel had been pulled over for drinking and driving. He'd been worried about her, this proved he wasn't worried enough.

"I've got to go, it's Laurel," said Quentin.

"No problem, go," replied Wendy.

Quentin was gone in an instant. It was clear to Wendy he was worried about Laurel; every time he talked about her, he got this look on his face. Wendy didn't know much about Laurel other than she was a lawyer and lately had been having a hard time. The previous night, when Quentin had visited, he'd shown Wendy pictures of both Laurel and Sarah and talked briefly about both of them. He cared deeply for both of them.

There was no reason to stay at the diner. Lying in bed, she hoped Laurel would be okay. After hearing what Quentin went through losing Sarah, she wasn't sure he could take much more. The fourth man also stuck with her; the police were doing nothing to find him. Surely he was injured, how hard could it really be to find him. A tightness hung in her chest and she took deep breaths to relax and fall asleep.

In the morning, Wendy was surprised to find that Felicity had already left. Most days, the morning was the only time they got to talk. Wendy shrugged it off. Something important was probably going on, maybe even Arrow related. Wendy sent Felicity a short text message telling her to have a good day. A reply of 'you too' was received almost instantly.

Like the previous day, before heading to work, Wendy spent an hour at the gym. Two days and she'd already started to feel better; she'd forgotten how much a run on the treadmill, headphones in, relieved stress. Heading to work, there was no sign it was going to be a rough day. A Guns for Money fundraiser was taking place in the glades, someone had donated money to get guns off the streets. Wendy was praising the event and it's donor until shortly into her shift.

All available staff were paged to emergency. The gang leader known as the Mayor had opened fire at the event and many wounded were headed their way. From then on, things were a blur. Wendy had a love hate relationship with these types of shifts. Helping so many people was a positive, but it was exhausting emotionally and physically. It was what she was meant to do though, or so she felt. Her mind was clear in these moments, not everyone was capable of that.

Late into the shift, Wendy was able to get a five minute break. Drinking from her water bottle and scarfing down a protein bar, she glanced at her phone. A voicemail waited; jaw clenched, she felt her stomach turn, it was probably just her Mother again. Sliding her phone into her pocket, she hesitated. Luckily she decided to glance at the number. It was from Quentin and was an invite for take-out after her shift at his apartment, no matter the time. His voice sounded strained, so she called him and let him know she'd be off in two hours.

Wendy's last two hours consisted of making rounds to check on the stabilized patients. Walking down the hall, she saw Oliver Queen. Wendy had never seen him in person, just in pictures, but he was easily recognisable. It wasn't a surprise to see him, his sister Thea was friends with the young women she was headed to check on. Thea and her boyfriend Roy had both come in with Sin and hadn't left her side.

Oliver was having a seemingly heated conversation with a blond woman wearing a baseball cap. It was hard to see her face, but the woman looked at Wendy as she passed. The strangest feeling moved through Wendy in those short seconds they made eye contact. Shortly beyond, she heard Oliver call the woman a name that made her freeze. In the seconds it took her to spin around, the woman and Oliver were gone. Entering Sin's room, Wendy replayed what had happened. Sarah, that was the name Oliver used, but it couldn't be Quentin's Sarah. If she were alive and in Starling, she'd certainly contact her family.

Changing out her scrubs, those moments in the hallway replayed in her mind. Even if the woman was some other Sarah, Wendy had a strange feeling about her. When she got to Quentin's building she entered with a delivery man. It was a small building, so she shortly realized he was also going to Quentin's apartment. It took some convincing, but she was able to buy the food off of him to surprise Quentin. It worked, Wendy smiled at the shocked looked on Quentin's face when he opened his door.

"I found us some food on the way up," said Wendy, then she noticed the look in Quentin's eyes, "Something's wrong, what's going on?"

"Come in," replied Quentin.

Wendy stepped into his apartment. Quentin took the take out bags from her; she removed her shoes and coat. His apartment was simple and clean. It was pretty much exactly the place she thought a man like Quentin would live. Wendy followed him to his living room where he had a couple of plates and utensils waiting for them.

"It's nothing fancy," said Quentin.

"Do I look like a fancy lady?" replied Wendy.

That brought a small smile to his face, but the pain remained in his eyes. They sat on his couch, side by side, Wendy turned her body towards Quentin and squeezed his shoulder. He'd ordered a few favourites from a Chinese place around the corner. As Quentin removed each item from the large bag, Wendy peeked at a picture of Laurel and Sarah that was sitting on his side table. They were both much younger and based on the picture, Wendy couldn't confirm or deny that Sarah was at the hospital today. Her attention back on Quentin, Wendy filled her plate with food.

"What's got you worried?" she asked.

"Laurel, she's been through so much. I'm afraid she might be a little too much like her father. She was pulled over the other day, blew over the limit and she acted as if it was nothing," replied Quentin.

Wendy could easily imagine Laurels reaction. "I'm sure she also used the 'you're the one with the problem not me line'."

"That's just it. I see the signs. I know what it's like, to want to drown the pain. It's not the answer and maybe this is my punishment, but I just want her to be safe. I want to protect her."

"Be there for her. Call her everyday whether she likes it or not, whether she even answers. You're a good father and don't think otherwise – for even a second."

Quentin looked at Wendy for a moment and then said "Thank you."

"You're welcome. I was about to thank you for the amazing food, but technically you should be thanking me, as I did pay for it."

"Don't you think you're getting away with that one," said Quentin.

Wendy bumped her shoulder into his. Munching on a chicken ball, it occurred to her she gave Quentin advice that sounded similar to what she was dealing with with her Mother. The difference being her Mother was the one with the problem and the one who'd said some unforgivable things. Quentin pulled her out of her head.

"You're day must have been crazy?" he asked.

"Crazy, that's for sure. I can't believe someone would shoot up a fundraiser. It really just proves how necessary it was. Happily, it looks like everyone will pull through."

"This city's just lucky it's got people like you. You said you join the military at a young age. I'm curious, what made you become a nurse?"

"I joined the military for many reasons, none having to do with anything medical. I started as you're usual soldier, basic training, then I saved a follow soldier's life with quick thinking. My superiors suggested I earn my medical degree. It gave me more purpose. I could have become a doctor."

"And why didn't you?"

"It would have taken me out of the field. I'd become a part of a Special Forces team and I loved the work."

They finished eating. Quentin gathered their plates and most of the leftover food. He instructed Wendy to leave the rest and walked off to the kitchen. The moment he was out of sight she gathered what was left and followed him. She stepped up beside him putting the food on the counter, and placed a hand lightly on his back.

"You haven't told me why you were demoted?" asked Wendy.

"Because of events leading up to the quake. My boss found out I'd been in contact with the Arrow. I tried to tell them what was going too happened, but they didn't get involved until Moira Queen's press conference. I was suspended, but couldn't just sit back, so I helped the Arrow. Felicity walked me through deactivating one of the devices," replied Quentin.

"Seriously? And here I thought Felicity was just a computer geek and you just were a beat cop."

Quentin watched Wendy turn and lean against the counter. As he put the leftovers in the fridge, he continued to watch her out of the corner of his eye. Wendy's movements were slow and careful and she'd winced when her body touched the counter, but it didn't erase the smile from her face or stop her eyes from watching him.

"You know, you don't have to hide the fact you're still sore or tired," said Quentin closing the fridge.

Her smile didn't waver, but Wendy's shoulders slumped and her muscles relaxed. Quentin reached out intending to suggest they move back to his living room, instead he gently pulled her into his body. As he put his arms around her, he could feel his heartbeat in his chest. Bending down, his lips met hers and this time there would be no interruptions.

Quentin could feel Wendy was tired, she was leaning into him to hold herself up. He led her back to the living room, to the couch. Sitting down, he wrapped his arms around her as she curled up against him. Listening to her breathing slow, he felt her relax; she was already asleep. He had been right, she was tired. Making himself more comfortable and trying not to disturb her, he thought about how torn his emotions were. He was content with Wendy, but worried about Laurel. His eyes closed and it wasn't long before he fell asleep alongside her.

Wendy's mind wondered as she slowly woke up; suddenly recognition hit her and she sat up. "The vigilante," she said out loud. Her mouth hanging open, she realized that she wasn't in her bed and she wasn't alone. Looking around, her eyes were met with Quentin's. He was looking at her through half open eyes, his head slightly tilted, brows raised.

"You're dreaming about the vigilante now?" asked Quentin.

"I saw her yesterday, at the hospital. She's friends with a girl who got shot _and _Oliver Queen. She was trying to hide herself with a cap, but I knew I recognised her," replied Wendy. After a moment she realized it was morning. "We slept on your couch, all night?"


	6. Chapter 6

Wendy had a hard time leaving Quentin's apartment. Her stomach felt heavy as she walked out his door, but duty called. Once out the door, Wendy decided to check in at home with Felicity, then head to work where she would have a chat with Sin about her vigilante friend. Part one didn't go quite as she hoped; Felicity wasn't home. It seemed lately, their paths were off. Checking her phone, Wendy did however have a message from Felicity letting her know to have a good day.

Part two of Wendy's plan didn't start well either. She'd made her rounds twice, both times Thea and Roy were sitting with Sin. Wendy appreciated the fact that Sin had such dedicated friends, but she wasn't going to get answers with them in the room. Thankfully, towards the end of her shift Wendy discovered Sin alone. Letting out a breath, Wendy entered Sin's room.

"How're you feeling?"

"Like hell," replied Sin.

"I know that feeling," replied Wendy as she started to change Sin's dressings.

"You're just saying that."

"I'm not, honestly," said Wendy making sure to look Sin in the eyes. "I have a rule, never tell a patient you know how they feel, unless it's the truth."

Sin raised her eyebrows, "_you've_ been shot."

"Yes. I was in the military," said Wendy as she watched Sin look her up and down. "You're lucky, the bullet didn't hit any vital organs. Not that it's any less painful, but your recovery will be shorter."

Wendy finished with the new dressing. During the whole process, Sin tried to put on a strong face, but Wendy knew better. She didn't complain or wince even once, but there was tension in her face and body. Even more, what told Wendy Sin was in pain, other than the obvious, she was biting on the inside of her cheek. Having a strong exterior made it hard to read Sin, so Wendy decided she would just have to come out and ask about the vigilante.

"You've got some good friends. They'd barely left your side. I actually was surprised they weren't still here," said Wendy.

"I told them to go home," replied Sin.

Wendy hesitated for only a second before asking, "You had a visitor here yesterday, a blond woman. She seemed familiar. Who is she?"

"She wouldn't want me to tell," replied Sin.

"Then you know what she does?"

"Seems like you already know."

Wendy nodded. "Is she from Starling?"

"I think so, but she just got back to town recently," said Sin with a shrug. "Why are you so interested in her?"

Wendy shifted awkwardly frowning, "to thank her."

Sin twisted her blanket in her hands, making eye contact with Wendy, she nodded. A yawn then escaped Sin; it was time for Wendy to leave and let her to get some rest. Preparing medications for her next patient, she realized she didn't get much from Sin, but what she did find out was interesting.

"You're looking better," said Quentin as Wendy slid into the booth across from him.

Leaning in Wendy said, "It might've had something to do with last night's company."

A smirk slowly appeared on Quentin's face, "and here I thought you spent the night at my place."

Wendy returned the smile as she teased Quentin under the table, running her foot across his leg. As Sue poured them both coffee, the door chimed. Wendy ignored it, adding cream to her cup until she noticed Quentin's furrowed brow. Turning, she was met by Felicity moving to sit beside her.

"Good, you're both here," said Felicity, out of breath and fidgeting with her bag.

"What's wrong?" asked Wendy.

Felicity turned to Quentin. "You're in danger. You need to get out of town. Maybe you two could go together, have a nice get away."

"Umm, not that that doesn't sound like fun, but what kind of danger warrants leaving town?" asked Wendy.

Felicity swallowed before speaking. "Well, there's an organization called the League of Assassins… and three of its members are targeting you, Detective." Glancing back and forth from Wendy to Quentin she added, "It sounded less crazy in my head."

"_The_ League of Assassins, Felicity you can't be serious," said Wendy.

"Malcolm Merlyn was a member. I know you don't know who he is, but Detective Lance does and that should say enough about the type of people we're dealing with."

"Okay, so what do they want with Quentin?" Wendy asked.

"That's a great question," added Quentin.

"That… is a really long story. You both just need to trust me," said Felicity.

"Miss Smoak, in this city, nobody's safe," said Quentin.

"Please, you _need_ to listen to me," said Felicity eyes darting between Wendy and Quentin. When neither of them replied she added "So I guess this means you're not leaving town."

"No Miss Smoak, I won't be," said Quentin.

Wendy shifted uncomfortably. Felicity wasn't lying, she was no actress, it was real concern written on her face, but leaving town seemed extreme. Struggling to find the right words, Wendy looked Felicity in the eyes. Felicity nodded at Wendy, seeming to understand. Saying goodnight, Felicity reluctantly left them.

"You've heard of this League of Assassins," said Quentin.

"I always thought they were just a myth… an urban legend. Overseas, locals talked of assassins who worked according to a strict honour code. They're basically ghosts," replied Wendy.

"What did I do to piss them off?"

"And why wouldn't Felicity tell us anything?"

Sighing heavily, they both sat back. Brow tensed, Quentin tapped his fingers on the table. Wendy wasn't sure what to say; assassins were a new one. Instead of speaking, she did the only other thing she knew helped, she took his hand into hers. Coffee cups drained, Quentin decided it was time to leave. Once outside he turned to Wendy, intending to say goodbye.

"I don't think so," said Wendy.

"What?" asked Quentin.

"There are assassins after you and you think I'm going to let you go home _alone_. Nope, not happening."

Quentin smiled at Wendy before saying, "I can take care of myself."

"Against _three_ assassins?"

"I think you're a little too worried. I know you trust…" Quentin's voice trailed off. The smile had faded and his body had stiffened. "No, it can't be," said Quentin.

The air felt stale as Wendy spun on her feet, expecting to see an assassin. Wendy's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open as her suspicions became reality. There was no mistaking her, it was the same blond woman from the hospital, the vigilante. This time there was no baseball cap and her face was clear, it was her.

"It can't be Sarah," said Quentin.

"It's me Dad."

Wendy couldn't imagine what was going through Quentin's head; Oliver Queen had told him Sarah was dead, no question. Even more interesting, Wendy had seen Oliver and Sarah talking at the hospital, but now was not the time to bring this up. Giving them space, as Sarah stepped forward, Wendy moved back. Quentin still hadn't moved, other than he was now shaking his head.

"Daddy, it's okay," said Sarah as she pulled Quentin in, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

It took Quentin a minute, then as the realization hit him, he returned Sarah's embrace. Wendy heard his voice shake as he repeated Sarah's name over and over. His face wasn't visible, but Wendy was sure there were tears leaving his eyes. It wasn't usual for Wendy to get emotional, but knowing what Quentin went through and how much he loved Sarah, she bit her lip, feeling her eyes well up.

Letting go of Quentin, Sarah suggested they move back inside the diner. Wendy tried to excuse herself, not wanting to intrude, but Sarah insisted she stay. Apparently, being close to Quentin could mean she might be in danger along with him. Wendy sat in her old booth, while Quentin and Sarah moved back to his. Sarah might want her to stay, but she would let them have their reunion, just the two of them.

The diner was quiet, so to avoid eavesdropping she pulled out her phone and typed a message to Felicity. _So it was Sarah who sent you to the diner earlier to warn Quentin. _Wendy receive a reply almost instantly. _Yes, it was._ This one simple answer brought up so many more questions, but one stood out. _How do you know Sarah? _The reply wasn't a surprise, _The Arrow. _

Curious. First, Sarah knew the Arrow. Second, she'd been back in Starling for weeks, but didn't let her family know. Third, she'd sent someone else to warn her own father of danger. Setting her phone down on the table, Wendy knocked a set of utensils on the floor. As they clanged to the ground, Sarah jumped from the booth, knife in hand, taking a defensive stance. Realizing the overreaction, she quickly sat back down. After this, it was hard for Wendy to not at least glance in Quentin's direction.

There was a happiness in his face and openness in his posture, but Wendy saw the moment Quentin came to the same realizations she already had. The pain returned to his eyes as he realized Sarah was only there now because he didn't listen to Felicity's warning. If they would have, Quentin would still be unaware she was alive. Sarah stood, so Wendy got her feet and moved to the back of the diner.

"We have to go," said Sarah.

"We're not going anywhere. Not until you tell me what you've gotten yourself into," replied Quentin who remained seated.

"You are an amazing cop and you are strong and decent and honest, but these men, they will kill you before you can even blink. Now please, come with me," said Sarah.

Placing hand lightly on Quentin shoulder, Wendy said, "Come on, let's go."

After a heavy sigh, Quentin got to his feet. Sarah brought them to the city's clock tower, where she'd been hiding. Arriving at the top, there was a heaviness in Wendy's stomach, whether it was fear or worry, she wasn't sure. All she knew was she had a bad feeling. Giving Sarah and Quentin more time to themselves, Wendy looked out over the city. It was the perfect hideout and after hearing Sarah call herself 'Canary', she thought even more so. Her thoughts were pulled back into the room by a stranger's voice.

"So, this is where you want your father to die," said Al-Owal, the leader of the three assassins now standing before them.

To protect them, Sarah stepped forward, taking a defensive stance with her staff in hand. Having pulled his gun, Quentin moved back and making eye contact with Wendy signalled for her to come to him. Removing her baton from her ankle, she moved in beside him.

"Do you really think we weren't going to find you here?"

"I knew you would," replied Sarah as she defended Al-Owal's first attack.

Wendy prepared herself for one of the assassin's attacks, but it never came. Watching him dangle from his ankle, Wendy realized Sarah had planned for this and set traps. Hearing gun shots, Wendy turned to see Quentin taking aim at the third assassin. Unfortunately, the assassin was much faster and none of Quentin's shots came close. As the assassin closed in on him, Wendy stepped in front, deflecting his sword with her baton.

Wendy got a couple hits on him with her baton before he pushed forward with his sword. Dodging backwards, his sword caught her thigh causing her to fall to one knee. Coming from the side, Quentin threw himself at the assassin distracting him from Wendy. Holding her bleeding leg, Wendy glanced in Sarah's direction. She had caught Al-Owal off guard with a trap, but he now seemed to be over taking her. Before Wendy even blinked, Al-Owal had his sword to Sarah's throat and the trapped assassin had cut himself down.

"Quentin!" said Wendy.

Quentin glanced over, but he was still struggling with the assassin. Wendy made note that he'd lost his gun. It was on the floor, out of Quentin's reach. Just as it felt that the walls were closing in on them, one of the clock faces shattered and the Arrow came through. It was the perfect distraction for Sarah who freed herself from Al-Owal's sword. The Arrow advanced on the third assassin while Wendy went to help Quentin.

Quentin was laying on the ground, the assassin advancing on him, preparing a final strike. Holding her breath, Wendy moved up behind the assassin. Baton raised, she started her swing, but he turned, grabbed her wrist and squeezed. Pain shot threw her hand and arm causing her to release the baton; it clanged to the ground. As she fought back the pain, a gunshot rang in her ears and the assassin collapse beside her.

Quentin got to his feet and returned his spare gun to his ankle holster. The Arrow had subdued the third assassin, but what caught all their attention was Sarah. Staff in hand, she had Al-Owal by the neck. In one swift movement, Sarah snapped his neck and his limp body fell to the ground. Quentin's mouth fell open and his eyes were large. It wasn't a first for Wendy, but it was just as shocking. Sarah moved to the assassin the Arrow had dealt with and took him by the neck.

"You don't have to do this," said the Arrow.

"Sarah, no," said Quentin.

Wendy was sure they were about to witness Sarah kill another man when instead, she spoke to him. She gave him a message; to leave her family alone. It was a message he was to take back to Ra's al Ghul; a name Wendy didn't recognize. Sarah released the assassin and he quickly took off through the broken clock face.

Dropping her head and avoiding eye contact, Sarah said, "I can't imagine what you must think."

Quentin closed the distance between himself and Sarah and place his hands on either side of her shoulders. "You're a survivor and you're my daughter. That's all that matters. It's time for you to come home."

"I can't," replied Sarah as she turned away from Quentin. "They won't stop looking for me."

"We'll protect you," said Quentin, then looking at the Arrow added "Tell her you'll protect her."

"It's not just me Dad. What if they hurt you or Laurel or Mom? You can't protect them all."

"They need to know," said Quentin.

"They can't," replied Sarah.

Wendy had stayed back, closer to the Arrow. She knew what was coming, how this was going to end and she also knew how devastated Quentin was going to be. Getting close to him, Wendy placed a hand on his back.

"Why not?" questioned Quentin.

"They would never stop looking for me, that's why. It could get them killed," replied Sarah. Eyes damp, she turned towards Wendy. "You've been good to my Dad. Please, take care of him."

"Your Dad's a good man and I owe you my life," replied Wendy.

As Sarah moved to leave, Quentin begged her to stay. Quentin's breaking voice and wide eyes said so much making Wendy feel nauseous. She held her breath and bit her lip again, trying to hold back tears. As Sarah left, saying "I love you" one last time, it was impossible to stop the tears that slipped down Wendy's cheeks.

Even the Arrow's voice wavered as he said, "Detective, you must keep her secret."

"It's already the hardest thing I've ever had to do. How do you live like this?" replied Quentin.

The Arrow left them. Wendy gave Quentin a moment, then directed him out of the clock tower. On the way to his apartment, Quentin was silent and sat slumped in the passenger seat. Wendy entered the building and walked with him to his door. Once he'd unlocked it, she turned to leave, assuming he'd want to be alone.

Quentin reached out and took Wendy's hand, stopping her from leaving, "please, stay."

Wendy obliged, not wanting to leave Quentin alone anyways. Inside, Quentin slowly removed his coat, hung it up and reached for Wendy's. Handing over her coat, she winced as pain went through her thigh.

"You're still bleeding," said Quentin.

"It's not that bad," replied Wendy.

Lifting an eyebrow, Quentin shook his head at Wendy, "Come on. I'll get the first aid kit."

He led Wendy through his bedroom into the bathroom. While Quentin pulled the first aid kit out from under the sink, without a second thought, Wendy started to remove her pants.

"What are you doing?" asked Quentin.

"It'll be hard to clean and wrap with my pants on," replied Wendy.

"Right."

Wendy's cheeks felt warm as she slid herself onto Quentin's bathroom counter. Being in the military, Wendy had learned to not be bothered by undressing in front of men, but the way Quentin wouldn't quite met her eyes made her feel a little shy. Using a damp cloth, Quentin wiped the blood from Wendy's leg. Once clean, she examined the wound and sighed.

"Well, I'm going to need a stiches."

"And you were just going to go home," said Quentin.

"You have enough on your mind, and it really isn't that bad. If you get me my bag, I can do the stiches myself."

"Without anaesthetic?"

"I've done it before. It only needs a few, it'll be faster if I just do it."

It wasn't the most pleasant feeling, but she carefully closed the wound. Finishing the stiches, Wendy wrapped a bandage around her thigh and slid of the counter. Her focus had been on the job at hand and she hadn't noticed Quentin had left the room. Entering the bedroom, Wendy found him sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at the palms of his hands. Facing him, she rubbed his shoulders and arms. Reacting to her touch, Quentin pulled her into his body. Still on her feet, she stood with his legs on either side of her body. There was a tremble in Quentin's body as they held one and other.

"She'll be back," whispered Wendy.

"You can't know that," replied Quentin.

"Please, with you as your Father, how could she resist?"

* * *

A/N: First, thanks to the new Fav/Follows, it's greatly appreciated. Also, please let me know what you think of this chapter. I had written it multiple ways, and this was the one I decided to go with.


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